In her last start at the top class, Lit De Rose beat the track record for aged pacing mares at Rideau Carleton Raceway she set back in June. Just three weeks later—in her next start—she shaved a tick off the record in the $9,200 Preferred Pace on Sunday (Aug. 23).
The five-year-old Leader Bayama mare led at every step, taking the field to a :27.2 first quarter until challenged by Mcjagersonthemove heading to a :55.1 half. Lit De Rose maintained her speed up the backside towards three-quarters in 1:23.1 as Mcjagersonthemove started to falter. Into the stretch the Maxime Velaye trainee coasted to a one-and-a-quarter length win in 1:52 over Vegas Rocks closing for second. Atomic Million AM, off a pocket trip, took third.
A homebred for Guy Corbeil, Lit De Rose won her fourth race from seven starts this season and her 16th from 45 overall, earning $161,267. Jonathan Lachance drove the $4.70 winner.
Boo Thang ground first over to win in the co-featured event, a $9,200 Preferred Handicap Trot.
From post 6, Boo Thang floated away fifth while Capteur De Reve brushed past early leader LMC Mass Gem to the lead past a :28 first quarter. As the tempo slowed to a :57.3 half, driver Stephane Brosseau sent Boo Thang for the front, marching up to the leader’s nose passing three-quarters in 1:26.2. The four-year-old Conway Hall gelding took a narrow lead around the final turn and held a narrow lead through the stretch to the finish, with Lestenpercent rallying for second. LMC Mass Gem finished third.
Owned by Nicole Bovay Gurtner, Marc Camirand, Paul Charles Moran and Claude Thibault, Boo Thang won his fourth race from 17 starts this season and his seventh from 40 overall, earning $87,907. Pierre Bovay trains the $3.10 winner.
The Sunday card also featured the opening round for the Hard Rock Summer Claiming Series—restricted to $7,000 claiming stock—with three $6,000 divisions going to post.
Dutch Seelster dominated his competition in the opening leg, leading from the pylon post through splits of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.1 in progress to a 10-and-a-half length win in 1:53.4. Holy Chip finished second off a pocket trip with Santanna Tony taking third. The nine-year-old Artiscape stallion competes for owner Charles Gaudreault and had trainer Guy Gagnon in the bike. He paid $2.50 to win.
Gagnon returned to the winner’s circle in the second division, this time steering Mandy Archer trainee Jackson K Down to a wire-to-wire win in 1:56.1. The seven-year-old Camystic gelding turned away a first-over challenge from 2-5 favourite Think Again to win by one-and-a-half lengths over Bad Night Mare rallying off a pylon trip for second. Dry Creek Image came from third over for third. Stewart McQueen owns the stallion who paid $8.10 to win.
Chaleurs Ad gave Gagnon a sweep of the Hard Rock prelim, romping by six-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:55.4 over pocket-sitter American Paradise, who took second via disqualification of Mohegan Blue Chip for interference at the start. Gagnon also trains the eight-year-old Riggins gelding for owner Blueshoe Investments. He paid $3.20 to win.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.